When he imagined his full Premier League debut as a youngster, Callum McManaman cannot have factored in growing uncomfortably familiar with the modern news cycle and being confronted by a 48-year-old Geordie.

In a match played out in the perfect storm of the start of an international break, McManaman's dreadful challenge on Newcastle's Massadio Haïdara last month and the fallout when he faced no further action from the Football Association, dominated the news agenda.

Newcastle United's assistant manager, John Carver, attempted to get to McManaman as he made his way off at half-time and the Wigan owner Dave Whelan was ridiculed for his defence of the striker's tackle.

But after a long fortnight, McManaman, 22, remained in the starting lineup for the 1-0 win over Norwich and is still keeping the Argentina international Franco Di Santo on the sidelines.

Even when McManaman scored in Wigan's 2-0 FA Cup semi-final victory at Wembley it was overshadowed by Millwall fans fighting one another but there was no hiding his superb first Premier League goal on Saturday. After drifting inside Kyle Naughton, he fired a stinging shot past Hugo Lloris at the DW Stadium.

McManaman is facing with relish the lengthy process of becoming known as something other than "the kid that made the terrible tackle" and remains grateful to his manager Roberto Martínez for keeping him in the team.

"There was a long wait after the game for the next match but what happened didn't get me down or affect how I prepared myself for Norwich," McManaman said. "There was a more media attention than I'd had before that point in my career but things happen in football and all you can do is look forward and work hard for the good of the team.

"People around you help but ultimately it's down to you as an individual to go one way or the other. Having just got into the team I was desperate to get back on the training pitch and make sure I was in the starting lineup for Norwich. When the gaffer put me in that team it was a big moment and from that point onwards I like to think that I've progressed and become a stronger part of the team."

Callum McManaman, second right, scores the second goal for Wigan against Tottenham. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images

With an FA Cup final against Manchester City to come, and the chance to help haul Wigan to survival once again, there could yet be a happy ending to McManaman's campaign.

"He's a strong character. A lot of bad things were said about him but it was a challenge he made to try to win the ball," said his team-mate James McArthur. "He's a winner but he wouldn't intentionally hurt somebody. He's really lighting up the Premier League now, he's been a great addition and hopefully he can keep doing that between now and the end of the season."

Just over two years on from Whelan bursting into the Wigan press room to wish Harry Redknapp and Tottenham luck against "that lot" (Real Madrid), this was a result that did as little for Tottenham's prospects of returning to the Champions League as it did for Wigan's hopes of what André Villas-Boas calls "salvation".

Wigan gifted Tottenham an opening goal when neither Maynor Figueroa, who is set to miss the rest of the season with a groin problem, or goalkeeper Joel Robles was tempted to hoof the ball away. When the latter finally decided to attempt to clear the ball flew in off Gareth Bale's boot.

They pulled level when Emmerson Boyce headed in from a Shaun Maloneycorner before McManaman received a pass from the excellent James McCarthy and powered a shot past Hugo Lloris from just outside the area.

But in the final minute, more poor defending from Wigan allowed a Tom Huddlestone free-kick to go all the way across the area before bouncing in off Boyce.

Wigan could be five points from safety if Aston Villa beat Sunderland on Monday night and despite being buoyed by snatching a late point, Tottenham may regret missing an opportunity to put pressure on Arsenal and Chelsea, to whom they travel on 8 May. They fell away in 2011 and finished fourth last season only to see their Champions League place taken away when Chelsea won last season's competition.

Scott Parker said: "People will always ask whether we can handle the pressure and put those questions to us because of what happened in the past but I don't think it is a mental issue at all. We are showing character."